At 57, Sports Illustrated's oldest swimsuit rookie says: 'You're not too old and it's not too late'

Kathy Jacobs has made history by becoming the oldest rookie to model for Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition.

Now, 57 years old, Jacobs wants to inspire others to break the mold and believe in themselves.

Jacobs will be making her debut in the 2021 issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, and has recently told Yahoo Life: "I'm the oldest rookie that I've ever even known for anything, but I feel like that inspires people."

According to the Sports Illustrated website, the Texas-native made her SI Swimsuit debut as part of the 2020 model search.

A former petite model in the 1980s with Ford Models, Jacobs continued to break down barriers when she answered an open casting call for SI Swimsuit at the age of 56.

Determined to prove that age is just a number, Jacobs recalls being told by a commercial agent that nobody "wants to see" women over the age of 40.

Per Yahoo, Jacobs said: "When I was 40, I remember I went into an audition to a commercial agent and the agent looked at me and said, 'Women over 40 are dead.' And I was taken back a second.

"I'm like, I feel very much alive. And he goes, 'No, women over 40 are dead. Nobody wants to see them.'"

However, Jacobs explains that she has "never really had that feeling of 'I'm so old' or 'I'm not relevant,'" even when other people would tell her differently.

Writing on social media, Jacobs continues to inspire her fans to reach for the stars, regardless of their concerns about age. She writes: "If you are reading this I want you to know that: [You're] never too old. It’s not too late! Believe in yourself. Show the world who you are instead of letting the world tell you who you are!"

Somewhat ironically, Jacobs has always seen her height as her biggest obstacle - as she stands at 5-foot-3-inches.

Recalling her time as a model in New York, she said: "I was trying to get petite models on the map, to get short girls on the map and to get equality for the short girls over almost 35 years ago.

"People see me as breaking molds because I'm old, but the short thing for me is way worse than being older. I mean, I even tried to contact my old agent from New York and they're like, 'You're too short, clients only want tall girls.'"

Now, after recently signing with the O Models agency in LA, Jacobs wants to reinforce to her supporters: "You're not too old and it's not too late."

"I'm just a regular person who rose up from the ashes and just wants something and is still trying to do something to better her life at this age," she said. "And I think that makes it really relatable to people."

Sports Illustrated editor MJ Day had this to say about Jacobs: "Kathy possesses the power of persistence, hard work and what it means to follow your dreams.

"She is one of our Swim Search winners and from the very beginning has not only championed the fight against ageism, but has prioritized the women of the Swim Search community that are pursuing their own dreams and goals.

"There has never been a more prolific team player than Kathy!

"She is constantly making time for others while forging her own career. She is a living proof that we need to stop putting limits on ourselves and celebrate the non-traditional ways we can reach our goals and push ourselves. She wholeheartedly stands for what SI Swimsuit represents and we are thrilled she feels empowered to share her message with us."

Featured image credit: Storms Media Group / Alamy